Porsche Panamera has more screens than your local branch of Currys
The launch of the all-electric Taycan in 2020 left some folk wondering whether Porsche would pursue the Panamera, especially in pure potent internal combustion engine guise, but it looks set to stay and the latest model will pack an interior that is clearly inspired by its electrified brethren.
Details of the full car are being withheld until an official release on 24 November, but we've already had a good poke around the interior during a private event at Porsche's plant in Leipzig. Put it this way: if you are a fan of screens, the Panamera will be to your tastes.
The driver gets a crisp, curvy 12.6-inch display that takes care of most driver information. In true Porsche style, this can be configured to the driver's tastes, displaying everything from navigational assistance to acceleration and G-Force info.
Sitting beside this is a new 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment panel borrowed from the Taycan. Again, it is razor sharp and packs updated internals so it is quicker to respond to inputs and requests. A head-up display can also be optioned that beams speed, navigation and other vehicles' details directly onto the windscreen.
Finally, the front passenger can also enjoy an optional 10.9-inch touchscreen (again, very much borrowed from the Taycan) that, thanks to a privacy filter, means they can binge YouTube vids and update social channels on the move… without distracting the driver.
As if that wasn't enough digital real estate, there's one final display tucked in the rear that allows chauffeur-driven occupants (or your kids) to adjust the climate control, interact with navigation functionality and change the radio station.
It's all very slick stuff and Porsche has very much opted to make the new Panamera about the driver, ensuring key controls are all within easy reach of the person in charge.
Much of the functionality can be accessed via the steering wheel, while the gear selector has been moved from a traditional central console position to a small lever on the dash, right next to the steering wheel.
This has allowed Porsche designers to not only increase easy access storage for phones, coffee cups and other items, but also put a little premium emphasis on the climate controls. These now feature a mix of stylish touch surfaces and knurled toggle switches to control the temperature inside.
What’s more, the same designers have banished adjustable fins on the air vents to the history books. That's right, the air vents are "fin-less", no more spindly bits of plastic for directional adjustment, which means precise heating and cooling of individual zones is now taken care of electrically through the infotainment system.
In pursuit of increased comfort, Porsche says it has "improved seat foam materials", which "increase comfort with enhanced elasticity". The seating position in the rear has also been tweaked for a more relaxed and laid-back experience.
The German marque has already stated that, alongside Volkswagen and Audi, it will benefit from the VW Group's upcoming bespoke app store. This will allows owners to download things like TikTok, Spotify and YouTube to the vehicle's system for use on the main infotainment display, as well as smaller screens for front occupants to interact with.
What's more, a Porsche source told T3 at the launch event that upcoming Panamera will also benefit from Porsche’s expansion of Apple CarPlay, where it has developed the app for increased usage within the Apple ecosystem.
This is already being rolled out in various VW Group models, but sees an increased amount of available functionality within the CarPlay app, meaning drivers don't have to awkwardly click out when wanting to adjust the radio station or interact with Porsche's own digital features. Genius.